


Benjamin Solo and the People around him are trying their best

by DorianExpress89



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drabble, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-18 16:21:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19338169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DorianExpress89/pseuds/DorianExpress89
Summary: Ben was not happy before he met Rey. Before he met her, he was trying to be happy. Rey was just someone who gave him a little push. And he's eternally grateful for it. But relationships are hard. And not just romantic ones. Even the relationships with our pets can be quite complicated. Life would be easier if Ben wasn't Ben, but he is...so what can he do?





	Benjamin Solo and the People around him are trying their best

Lattes

Ben stared down at the steaming, brown pool and sighed. Then he sighed again. And then before another sigh could escape, he took a big gulp and counted as he attempted to hold down the insipid drink.

“Shit, that’s bad,” he muttered.

Poe chuckled from across the table.

Ben groaned. “Stop it.”

“Stop what? I didn’t say anything,” Poe said.

Ben turned to his friend and set his mug down on the table. “Rey has me on a new trend.”

“Trying to stay young?” Poe snickered, causing Ben’s eyebrow to tick. “How very cliché of you, Ben. Your father would turn in his grave if he heard about this.”

“My father’s not dead, you know,” Ben said. He began to take another sip of the foul “number one, no milk” that he heard was zero calories and therefore deemed okay to consume between the hours of 8PM to 12PM.

Poe chuckled. “I know, but isn’t there a small part of you that wishes he was?”

“Yeah, but I’d never admit it out loud,” Ben said without looking at his old-time friend, instead opting to study the drenched couple rushing down the block, no doubt trying to make it back to their 9 AM class. Ben hoped they would make a habit of being on time in the future, but he doubted it.

“Yeah,” Poe said softly. “Because then you’d be a bad son, right?”

Ben nodded absentmindedly. His thoughts were on the next sip.

“Why are you forcing yourself to drink black coffee again?” Poe asked.

“Because there is a diet Rey is doing and I want to be supportive of her, so I am doing it alongside her,” Ben explained, punctuating each word with a chopping motion, detailing the steps in his mind.

“And what is that diet?” Poe asked, a smile playing at his lips.

“Some fad called intermittent fasting,” Ben said after a moment. He looked across the table at Poe’s plate of bacon, eggs, and pancakes. “I can’t eat—”

Poe raised his hand. “I know what intermittent fasting is, bud. I’ve heard some of my students talk about it. Maybe one of them told Rey about it.”

Ben sighed, pushing down whatever he felt from Poe’s slight. “It’s been…harder than I thought. I didn’t know how useful breakfast is.”

“Useful? Is that the word?” Poe stuffed a piece of buttery, syrupy pancake into his mouth as he stared into Ben’s eyes playfully. “More like fucking delicious.”

“I’ll be sure to include this in my eulogy when I’m speaking at your funeral in ten years.”

“That’s fucked up,” Poe said as he picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite, the crispy sheet of smoked pork belly shattering like class between his chompers.

“Anyways, I’m trying it out and it’s very hard,” Ben admitted. “I miss my lattes.”

“Right, the lattes,” Poe said. He looked down at his drink, a latte and smiled. “They’re not the best at Neil’s, but it’s not bad. I prefer Joe’s down the block.”

“I used to get those all the time back then,” Ben said with another sigh. He stared into the dark abyss and prayed. Maybe if he prayed hard enough, any one of the gods above would grant him his wish and make lattes calorie free. World peace was cool and all that, but at this moment, on this rainy day, he wanted calorie-free lattes. _Whimsy is what damns us,_ Ben thought wistfully.

 _A philosopher I am not_ , he reminded himself in the same breath.

“Why are you sighing? What do you mean back then?” Poe asked. “You didn’t even go here!”

“I came here a lot to visit you,” Ben countered. He stuck his finger in the air. “I even helped you pass your Lit 202 class. Without my notes, you would have never finished all three essays in time.”

“Face it,” Poe muttered, waving his hand dismissively. “You liked spending time here. Slumming it with us city folk.”

“I was born here, too,” Ben countered once again. “I lived in Manhattan longer than you did. I’m just as much a New Yorker as you.”

“Yeah I’m more of a New Yorker, because I was born in the Bronx,” Poe said. He never let that fact go. It was a stupid argument and the both of them knew it, but they still had it. It was theirs.

“I didn’t know place of birth made one more of a New Yorker than the other,” Ben said. He reached for the cup of water and took a drink. Much better than black coffee.

“Well, your idea of slumming it was coming to hang out here among us lemmings,” Poe said between bites, waving his fork in the air the way a conductor would. “And I think it’s—”

“Poe,” Ben interrupted. “I didn’t come here to argue about that. You invited me to here to talk about what happened last week.” Ben watched Poe set his fork down and lean back into the booth, crossing his arms. _Yikes._

“Okay,” Poe said after a moment and a huff. “Let’s talk.”

“You invited me. So perhaps you should…,” Ben said, shrugging. “speak first.”

Poe leaned forward and rested on his elbows, nudging his plate forward toward Ben’s cup of coffee to make space. “Do you really want me to say what I think without you saying your piece first?”

Ben took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. “Shoot.”

Poe let out a breath that Ben hadn’t caught him holding. “She’s young, Ben. Younger than us.”

“Is this about her age?” Ben snapped.

Poe raised an eyebrow at him. “I thought you were going to let me say my piece.”

Ben sat back. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I know it’s tough for you,” Poe said. “I am worried that your relationship with Rey is…”

Ben gestured for his friend to continue.

“Just you trying to recapture some part of your youth,” Poe said, holding Ben’s gaze.

“So, it is about…someone’s age,” Ben muttered. “Every time, it’s about her age. I don’t love her because she’s young or she makes me feel youthful. It’s the same thing every goddamn time. You and Hux are like this broken—I don’t know!”

“Dude,” Poe said, raising up from his seat. “Sit down.”

Ben looked at him and then down at the table and then took a seat. “Sorry.”

“Dude, time and place,” Poe muttered into his hand. “But it’s all good. We live in NYC. Crazies are everywhere.”

“I’m not crazy,” Ben said, shooting his friend a look.

“You’re not crazy _now_ ,” Poe said with a playful smile.

“For a Psych professor, you’re awfully cavalier about my emotional state,” Ben said.

“Do you want to kill yourself?” Poe asked point-blank.

“Maybe if I finish this rancid cup of coffee,” Ben whispered as a waiter passed by him. Judging by the icy glare he leveled at Ben, he must’ve overheard.

“So, you’re fine,” Poe said. He shoved another forkful of eggs and sausage into his mouth. “You should really eat something, you know. A giant like you can’t survive on whatever hours you’re doing.”

“If Terry Crews can do it,” Ben said as he raised the cup of black coffee to his lips. “I can.” Then he shot back the rest of the black liquid.

“How was it?”

“Fucking awful,” Ben answered.

“Anyways,” Poe said. “I should have phrased what I said at the bar better. You know how it is with the first midterms. It’s a fucking headache. And I’m grading ethics essays by some pothead who probably thinks Kant’s work is a crock of shit and they just need an A in my class to get into med school.”

“Weren’t you one of those kids?” Ben shot back.

“Don’t remind me,” Poe said as he stirred the hot sauce into the pool of golden, glistening egg yolk. He stabbed at a piece of sausage and swirled it in the pool of hot sauce and egg and plucked it with his teeth. “Damn, that’s good.”

“God, I hate you,” Ben said.

“I know,” Poe said as he wiped his mouth, dabbing deliberately hard at the corners. “But my point was that you’re making a bad habit of dating women too young for you.”

“And your professional opinion, as a Psych professor, is that I’m doing the same thing to Rey. I’m using her as a means to chase my lost youth?”

Poe chuckled, but the sound lacked its usual mirth. “How does she put up with this sniping? She’s a smart girl, you know. Brilliant. Granted she only took my class to complete her pre-reqs, but she cares. I’m glad she’s the bartender at our local dive.”

“Yeah, me too,” Ben muttered. He waved for a water to refill his water, but not his coffee. Two quick motions of his hand was enough to convey to the waiter across the crowded diner.

“I’m not going to lie,” Poe said. “It was weird seeing an old student from five years ago waiting at our bar. I was a bit scared she was going to poison my drink because I gave her an A- and she fought for an A+.”

“Yeah, you should’ve given her an A+. I read that paper you gave her a B on and it’s better than most of the shit you write,” Ben said.

“Don’t say that,” Poe muttered. “I don’t like it when people say that.”

“Thanks for the ammo, buddy,” Ben said. He nodded thanks to the waiter who had just filled his glass.

“Back to the subject, she has big dreams and I don’t—”

“She’s different,” Ben cut him off. His heart quickened at the thought of what the possibilities of what would come out of his friend’s mouth. He didn’t want his take on their relationship. Not yet. “This time is different.”

Poe raised an eyebrow again. “You said that last time.”

“I did.”

“And?”

“This time will be different. I’m not scared. She…makes it not scary.”

Poe appraised Ben for a minute and Ben allowed it. The only time they broke eye contact was when the waiter’s arm reached across the table to collect Poe’s plates and Ben’s lone coffee cup.

“Okay,” Poe said, reanimating after the minute. “I believe you.”

Ben breathed out and smiled. “Thank you for believing in me? I guess?”

Poe shrugged. “It’s nice, isn’t it?”

“What is?”

“Support? Support feels good, right?” Poe asked.

“Of course, it does,” Ben said. He shot Poe a confused look. “What makes you say that?”

“Just so you remember what it feels like,” Poe answered. “I know I haven’t been the most supportive of your past relationships. But if you say it’s going to be different with Rey, then I’m going to believe you.”

Ben shrugged. “It is nice.”

“Why did you suggest such an early time? I thought you had work,” Poe asked. He picked at his teeth with his tongue in between words.

“I’m waiting for Rey. She should be done with class soon,” Ben said. He looked down at his watch. _9:15_. She probably just got out of class. “I took the day off.”

“Why?”

“Oh, she’s moving in today.”

Poe looked at Ben for a moment, blankness in his eyes. “What?”

“Yeah, she’s moving in today and I’m helping her pack up the rest of her stuff. Her old roommate had to break the lease because she was going to California for work,” Ben explained. “So, we decided that instead of searching for another place, she should move in with me. You know, to save money.”

“To save money,” Poe reiterated slowly.

“Yeah,” Ben said. “You have to be economical about these things. Plus, she already spends most of her time at my place anyways. We thought…might as well.”

“Who suggested this arrangement?” Poe asked.

“Oh,” Ben said. “She did.”

“And you were okay with it.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“But didn’t Vanessa break up with you because you wouldn’t commit to moving in together?” Poe asked.

“Yeah, but she was super messy. I can’t deal with that after work,” Ben said, waving his hand dismissively.

“What about Caroline?”

“My college girlfriend? I thought about it. I could afford it at the time with my internship at Bloomberg, but she had this dog. Nasty thing.”

Poe pursed his lips. “But aren’t you thinking about getting a dog?”

“Oh yeah,” Ben said. He reached into his pocket and opened up his gallery. He scrolled down the pictures of him and Rey on their recent trip to Montreal, pausing for a millisecond or ten to reminisce. Then he stopped at a photo of a gorgeous pup. “Here.”

Poe took the phone from Ben and looked down at the chocolate lab. “This is?”

“Madeline. She’s a rescue chocolate lab,” Ben answered. “Rey’s friend at the animal shelter told Rey about Madeline and she just had to adopt her.”

“So, you’re telling me,” Poe began as he handed Ben back his phone. “That only after eight months, you’re not only willing to move in with Rey, but you’re willing to adopt a dog with her. Even though you hate dogs.”

“I don’t hate dogs.”

“You hate dogs.”

“I _hated_ dogs.”

“You’re a cat person.”

“I am a cat person. But now I am also a dog person.”

“I don’t know if I like the new you or hate the new you,” Poe said. He stood up and grabbed his messenger bag, slinging it around his shoulder. “Your cat is going to hate this.”

“Did I tell you I like the suit?” Ben said as he followed suit. “Uniqlo suits don’t look half bad.”

“Are you thinking of making the switch?” Poe asked as he straightened out his jacket.

“There are some pieces from Uniqlo that I find super practical,” Ben admitted as he led the two out of the restaurant. He texted Rey where he was as he passed the waiters and customers moving about.

“Now, I must be hearing things! You never wear 'quick fashion',” Poe said.

“First of all,” Ben said, raising a single digit. “I’m over that phase. It was elitist. And second, —”

“He needs to stop stating my points in list format,” a soft, British accented voice interjected. Ben couldn’t help but smile at hearing the sound amongst the pitter patter of the rain.

“Sweetie,” Ben greeted, instinctively leaning down to give his girlfriend a peck on the crown of her head. He felt her arms squeeze around his waist in response. “How was class?”

“Awful,” she groaned. “8AM lab classes are the worst.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Ben said. “I didn’t take the hard path.”

Rey scrunched her nose. “That’s right, Mr. Lawyer. Laugh it up. Just don’t blame me when I paint everything yellow.”

Ben’s eyes shot open. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I dare.”

Poe cleared his throat. “Okay, happy couple. I, for one, will go off in single silence as I prepare my first lecture of the day.”

“Shouldn’t you have prepared it last night?” Rey asked.

“You think I’d make a habit of it, right?” Poe muttered as he fished around his bag.

“You should,” Ben said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Poe said as he took out his black umbrella. “I’ll see the two of you later.” He waved at the two, opened up his umbrella, and disappeared into the slight drizzle.

“Let’s go,” Rey said, handing her boyfriend the umbrella.

“Where to?” Ben asked as he tucked Rey closer into his side.

“There’s still stuff in my apartment to pack and the 6 train is delayed again,” Rey said. “A ton of people were late today. How’d did you get here by the way? Your place is by the six line.”

“I uber’d,” Ben said.

“Oh right,” Rey chuckled. “I forgot. Did you want Joe’s? You do love their lattes.”

“Nah, I already had coffee,” Ben said, pulling Rey closer to him to avoid a running student.

“At Neil’s? But their lattes aren’t even that good,” Rey said, her sentences punctured by the sound of rain hitting their umbrella.

“I had black coffee,” Ben explained. He stretched his neck up, looking for the nearest train station. If he remembered correctly, the next train station that wasn’t a six would be quite the walk. He would uber, but he knew Rey didn’t like taking the more expensive option when the cheaper option was just as viable.

“But you hate black coffee?” He could picture her face as she spoke the words, all contorted as she tried to piece something together.

“It’s disgusting,” Ben responded.

Rey slowed in her steps. “Are you doing this intermittent fasting with me?”

Ben shrugged. “Maybe.”

“You are, aren’t you?” She looked up at him with the most dazzling smile.

Ben nodded slowly. “Trying it. You’ve been raving about it for weeks, so I thought maybe it would be something we could…”

“Suffer in together.”

“Basically,” Ben said with a smile. “Misery needs company and all that.”

“But your lattes. Don’t you miss them on rainy days?” Rey asked with a slight frown on her lips.

“Yeah, but it’s whatever. It’s just a latte,” Ben said dismissively.

“I know how much you like them.”

“You should consider yourself very lucky, I like you more.”

“I’m honored.”

Ben pointed at the subway station across the street. “Is that the one?”

Rey sighed and nodded. “Yeah, it’s two more transfers but it’s only like twenty minutes extra minutes.”

“And you’re sure you don’t want to Uber? I can afford it.”

Rey paused as she saw the amount of people streaming in and out of the stop. “You know what, babe? Let’s use your salary for some good.”

“I thought I was doing good,” he said slowly as he ordered the uber on his phone.

“Sometimes…it is very hard to tell, babe.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is just my high ramblings that I want to start doing when I'm in a good head space and feel like writing a random scene in my head. Please tell me what you think.


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